The present invention relates generally to the conversion of a linear movement to an electrical signal representative of that movement, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved linear measuring system for accurately converting a rather large linear movement into a precise digital signal representative of that movement.
One approach to the construction of a linear encoder is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,037, issued to DiCiaccio et al. This instrument is capable of accurately measuring linear movement along a linear measuring axis. The present invention was designed as an alternative approach to that design and in particular was designed to measure linear movement along a linear measuring axis longer than that capable of being handled efficiently by the system illustrated in that patent. More particularly, the present invention was designed to measure linear movement along a one hundred foot measuring axis, although the principles of operation of this invention might be utilized in both shorter and longer measuring systems.